Short Summary

THE WORST FOREST FIRE FOR OVER 30 YEARS ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA RAGED TODAY (MONDAY) ALONG A 12-MILE (20KMS) STRETCH OF COAST EAST OF THE NAVAL PORT OF TOULON.

Description

FIREFIGHTERS AND BLAZING PINE TREES.

Initials JRG/RTR/RM/SGM

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE WORST FOREST FIRE FOR OVER 30 YEARS ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA RAGED TODAY (MONDAY) ALONG A 12-MILE (20KMS) STRETCH OF COAST EAST OF THE NAVAL PORT OF TOULON. BETWEEN 5,000 AND 7,000 CAMPERS FROM MANY COUNTRIES HAD TO FLEE.

THE FIRE HAS RAVAGED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF PINE FOREST IN AN AREA WHICH HAS HAD ONLY ABOUT THREE HOURS OF RAIN SINCE SPRING.

FIREMEN WERE HELPED BY HUNDREDS OF SOLDIERS AND SAILORS AS WELL AS CAMPERS. AN ELDERLY FRENCH COUPLE WERE FOUND DEAD AFTER BEING CUT OFF BY THE FLAMES AND THE EIGHTY-YEAR-OLD FORMER PRESIDENT OF FRANCE, M. VINCENT AURIOL, WAS ALSO IN DIFFICULTY FOR A TIME UNTIL RESCUED.

A FRENCH GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IN PARIS SAID TONIGHT THE FIRE HAD BEEN VERY SERIOUS BUT REPORTS ABOUT IT HAD BEEN DISTORTED. THE FIRE WAS NO LONGER DANGEROUS. HE SAID NO HOUSES WERE DESTROYED THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF DAMAGE.